Lots on the line for Dumanis in South Bay

Long-held prejudices

Sparrow said convictions would reinforce stereotypes, which he said have been drummed up in large part because of the South Bay’s proximity to Mexico.

“I think there are long-held prejudices that people have that they may not even realize they have,” Sparrow said.

Some in the South Bay have argued that this latent prejudice has presented itself in a double standard in how its officials are treated in the judicial system.

Carlos said he doesn’t believe Republican Dumanis is prosecuting the group — 12 of whom are Hispanic Democrats — because of their race or political affiliation. But he understands where some might question the difference in how the South County cases are being handled compared to other officials, such as former county Supervisor Pam Slater-Price.

Slater-Price accepted free tickets while dispensing grants to the opera and the Old Globe Theatre. After The Watchdog revealed she failed to report the gifts on state forms, she was given a $2,000 administrative fine in 2010.

Slater-Price’s beneficiaries were charities, not for-profit companies. And prosecutors in South County are gathering evidence of quid pro quo arrangements. But Carlos said the parallel of taking entertainment while giving government largesse is there.

“It’s the same conduct,” Carlos said. “It’s crazy. If it is illegal for someone, it should be illegal for everyone. Apparently, however, that is not the case.”

The feeling of a double standard may have driven some of the voters who re-elected Lopez and Quiñones to the Sweetwater board, Carlos said.

“It was so easy to say she is a felon,” Carlos said of Quiñones. “But I think people are smart enough to see what she is being accused of.”

Salas said while she doesn’t believe the case is a conspiracy, she hopes Dumanis’ public integrity unit will probe other school districts.

“We are a very diverse community, and we are way beyond that type of thinking in California and San Diego,” she said, “but it seems to me that the kind of problems that we are facing here are something that his happening countywide, and there does seem to be an extraordinary focus on South Bay.”

Officials with the DA’s office released a statement saying there is no bias or prejudice in their selections.

“We do not look at ethnicity or political affiliation when we investigate or prosecute crimes,” the statement said. “Any suggestion as such is contrary to our mission of pursuing truth and justice. Further, our office is proud of its strong track record of having a diverse workplace.”

First step

Not everyone in the community sees the current case as a conspiracy against Hispanic Democrats or against the South Bay. There are some like Alex Anguiano, president of the Sweetwater Education Association, who believe that the charges were long overdue.

“It’s the first step in a long process,” Anguiano said after Monday’s arraignment. “Hopefully one that will end up bettering our district. It is time for the corruption that has become synonymous with Sweetwater to end.”

At a Monday San Ysidro School District board meeting, where the board discussed whether to fire Superintendent Paul amid the charges against him, several members of the public said an end to corruption is long overdue.